In 1973, a Boeing 707 chartered by Nigeria Airways crashed while attempting to land at Kano International Airport; 176 of the 202 people aboard were killed. George Foreman upset reigning heavyweight champion Joe Frazier with a second round TKO in their match in Kingston, Jamaica.

In 1984, the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38-9 to win Super Bowl XVIII (18), played at Tampa Stadium in Florida. (The game broadcast on CBS-TV featured Apple Computer's famous "1984" ad introducing the Macintosh computer.)

In 1998, Theodore Kaczynski pleaded guilty in Sacramento, Calif., to being the Unabomber in return for a sentence of life in prison without parole.

Ten years ago: Countering blunt talk of war by the Bush administration, France and Germany defiantly stated they were committed to a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis. Opponents and supporters of abortion rights rallied on the 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Bill Mauldin, who'd immortalized World War II soldiers with his characters Willie and Joe, died in Newport Beach, Calif., at age 81.

Five years ago: Actor Heath Ledger, 28, was found dead of an accidental prescription overdose in a New York City apartment. Jose Padilla, once accused of plotting with al-Qaida to blow up a radioactive "dirty bomb," was sentenced by a U.S. federal judge in Miami to 17 years and four months on other terrorism conspiracy charges. Republican Fred Thompson quit the race for the White House after a string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states.

One year ago: Longtime Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who'd won more games than anyone in major college football but was fired amid a child sex abuse scandal that scarred his reputation, died at age 85. The New England Patriots beat the Baltimore Ravens 23-20 in the AFC championship game. The New York Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in the NFC championship game.